Process of cracking petroleum oil



March 8, 1927. G EGLOFF PROCESS OF CRACKING PETROLEUM OIL Original Filed Dec. 13. 1920 1/57271/ Zg/ofi' 1 JMOK Patented Mar. 8 19 27. a y

UNITED STATES 1,619,921 PATENT OFF-ICE. I

i GUSTAV EGLOFF, OF CHICAGO. ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

PROCESS OF CRACKING PETROLEUM OIL.

Application filed December 13, 1920, Serial No. 430,126. .Renewed June 9, 1926.

This invention relates to improvements in process for cracking petroleum oil, and refers more particularly to a process in which the generated vapors produced by the cracking action are subjected to reflux condensation, and the reflux condensate returned for furthertreatment. In the present invention, the reflux condensate instead of being subjected to the action of the heating zone, is instead returned to the transfer line between the expansion chamber and the heating element, and mixed with the heated oil just before the latter enters the expansion chamber. The present invention also permits of the oil being subjected to a condensing action under a differential pressure than that of the expansion chamber.

In the drawings, the single figure designates a view partly in vertical section, and

partly in side elevation of the apparatus for carrying out my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the furnace, provided with burner 2, combustion space 3, and stack 4. In this fur nace is mounted the heating coil 5, which may take the form of a continuous length of four to six-inch pipe. The .inlet side i of the coil is connected by feed line 6 and throttle valve 7 to feed pump 8, leading 0 to any suitable source of raw oil supply. The discharge side of the coil 5 is connected by insulated transfer line 9, having throttle valve 10, to one end of an expansion chamber 11. This expansion chamber 11 may take the form of a large shell, as for example, 8 to 14 feet in diameter, and to 20 feet long. The expansion chamber 11 is provided with residue draw oif pipe 12,

having throttle valve 13, and with vapor outlet pipe 14, having throttle valve 15,

which pipe 14 extends into the lower end of a dephlegmator 16, and is provided with a spaced cap portion 17, the arrangement being such as to permit the vapors to freely enter the dephlegmator. but prevent the re flux condensate from falling directly back to the expansion chamber. Instead, the reflux condensate is drawn off from the lower end of the dephlegmator, through reflux pipe 18, having throttle valve 19, and connected to the transfer line as shown at 20. The arrangement is such that the reflux condensate is mingled with the liquid at the point that the latter enters the expansion chamber 11, and is thus subjected to treatment as it mingles with the hotteritransfer liquid. The dephlegmator is provided with a plurality of baflie members 21, and vapor outlet p pe 22, having throttle valve 23, which pipe 22- leads to-condenser coil 24, seated in condenser box 25. The lower end of the coil is conneetedby pipe 26, having throttle valve 27, to the to of receiver 28. Thls receiver 28 is provided with gas outlet pipe 29, having throttle valve 30, and with liquld draw ofi' pipe 31, having throttle valve 32. It also has liquid' level gauge 33. The system is provided with a pressure gauge 34 as shown. A pump 35 may be interposed in the reflux line 18, particularly in the event that the dephlegm'ator is under a lower pressure than the expansion chamber.

The process may be carried out as follows:

O l may be fed continuously through the heating coil, as for example Kansas fuel oil 26 degrees Baum gravity. heated to a temperature of 750 degrees F., and subjected. to aprssure of 135 pounds. While still in l quid phase, it is delivered to the expan slon chamber where vaporization takes place. The generated vapors after travelling throughout the length of the elongated expansion chamber pass to the dephlegmator and are subjected to reflux condensation. The lighter vapors pass over to the receiver, but the heavier will condense in the dephlegmotor and will be continuously returned by means of the reflux line to the transfer line 9. As the reflux condensate passes throughout the length of the expansion chamber and is mingled with the hot vapors 1n the expansion chamber, such reflux condensate will be again in large part vaporized. The uniform pressure-of 135 pounds may be maintained on the system, or a process may be carried out in this apparatus exactly as above described except-that-a differential pressure may be maintained'in the system, as for example, 200.pounds on the heating coil, 150 pounds on the expansion chamber, 100 pounds on the dephlegm'ator and the balance of the system. i

I claim as my invention:

1. A prooess'of cracking oil, consisting in pasing the oil through a heating zone where it is subjected to the action of heat and pressure, delivering it through a transfer line in substantially liquid form to an expansion chamber where vaporization takes place, 110

takimg' ofi the vapors fromthe end of the -where it is mixed with the heated oil and the combined mixture then passed to the expansion chamber.

2. A process of cracking oil, consisting in passing the oil through a heating zone where it is subjected to the action of heat and pressure, delivering it through \atransfer line in substantially liquid form to an expansion chamber Where vaporization takes place, taking off the vapors from the end of the expansion chamber remote from its connection With the transfer line, subjecting such vapors to reflux condensation and returning the reflux condensate under a pump pressure 20 imposed thereon in its travel, to the transfer line, causing admixture of the reflux condensate and heated oil and passing the combined mixture to the expansion chamber.

3. A process for cracking hydrocarbon oil, consisting in passing a high boiling point hydrocarbon oil through a heating zone, wherein it is subjected to a cracking ternperatnre while maintained under a superatmospheric pressure, in then introducing to the flowing stream of the heated oil a low boiling point condensate at a high temperature, which has previously been subjected to a cracking treatment, in delivering the coinmingled heated oils to an enlarged reaction chamber, wherein substantial vaporization occurs, in withdrawing unvaporized constitnents from said enlarged chamber without again admitting the same to said heating zone, and in taking off the evolved vapors for dephlegmation and condensation.

GUSTAV EGLOFF. 

